November 21, 2014

Hair Comb History Highlight #10: Golden Combs

Though I have covered a large array of hair combs to admire here on the Hair Comb History Highlights series, I have somehow yet to cover gold combs! Though gold can be designed to look very contemporary, the material's use in jewelry and hair combs dates back millenia. Their are several ancient examples of gold hair pins and combs from all over the world but today we will be admiring their 19th century European counterparts.

The first few combs here are from the Regency (or Empire) era. Their distinctive shape, a tiara like curved comb with long thin tines, gives away their date. Called Empire combs or Josephine combs after Napoleon's reign in France and his wife's penchant for wearing the combs respectively. I think I will be doing a separate post entirely devoted to Empire combs soon!

1 comment:

My word, these are so radiantly beautiful! I'm struck by how some of them, such as the mid-Victorian turquoise one, look almost shockingly contemporary. It's not surprising to vintage folks like us that such is the case, but I would imagine that it would shock some contemporary fashionistas.

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Hello there! I'm Bianca and here on The Closet Historian I study and recreate vintage fashions-- sketching, pattern drafting, and sewing my way to a vintage inspired wardrobe. I also occasionally attempt knitting, travel as far and wide as I can, and make videos over on YouTube, all while writing a novel on the side.